Stanchion



R. F. HARDING April 3, 1951 STANCHION Filed Jan. 28, 1948 I Roy F. Harding IN V EN TOR.

BY (Wm Patented Apr. 3, 1951 NITED .s mm

TENT OFFICE The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stall stanchions 'such as are commonly used to temporarily re- :"lstra'in milchcows in present day milking parlors. Broadly, the inventioncat bar has to do with a stanchion which embodies vertical stiles, :one of which is fixed and the other one "of which-is piv- --ota'lly "and adjustably mounted and adapted to is-w ing away from the fixed meni-ber to space lthe zmem bers apar-t'and to thus open the stanchion.

i-More particularly, novelty is thought to reside kinan lingenious arrangement of primary and secondary latches and a remotely controlled pull 'g-rop'e for operating same from --a po'int adjacent the rear end-of the animal in -a manner to save reducing to practice the preferred embodi- 2 latch which meets with "a lifting finger "on' th pr imary'latc'h, all in themanner to be hereinaftment off the inve'ntionanarrangement of latches is provided whereby, through the medium of a novel actua'ting'lever, the rope is pulled once to readily release the primary latch to permit the stanchion to open and when pulled upon thesecnd time servesJ-by way of -'appropriate construcf'tion means, to act upon the latches to allow the stanchion to close and tobe retained in closed position.

Other objects andadvantages'willrbecome more readily apparent from the fol'lowing'description "of the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating a stanchion and a latch :and latch controlling means. constructed in accordance with the presis a fragmentary topplan-view. j

ing spring means to normally swingsaid pivoted "(stile to stanchion-opening position. primary =gravity-lowered latch "bridges a space between the upper ends of the stiles and is hinged adjaicent to the fixed stile and has a "detent on its ,free end rel'easably engageable with the upper end of the movable "stile.

Remote controlled means, including a balanced lever is provided.

1 'Theflever has a roller-equipped return limb for the pivoted lor s'wingable -stanchion stile and said lever carries a self-resettingyertical secondary -er described. 7

Referring now to the drawings by-distinguishing reference characters the stanchion, as a unitary structural assemblage, is denoted by the :nu-

me'ral "5 "and comprises an angle ironorequivalent base member 6 which is suitably s'upported and which provides a foundation for a stationary stanchion stile '7, this being fixedly connected with the horizontal frame 1nembe '8. The t movable stile or member is denoted by thenumeral "9 and thisis'hingedly and acliustably mounted ?'in the angle i-ron 6, as at it. The 'numer'al 3H designates a pull spring which serves to normally swing the stile 9'in a direction 'irom left to right. Both stiles i and 9 are channel-shapedlinicross sectional form.

The primary latch is horizontally disposed "and denotedby the numeral l2 and this I ls pivoted as at P3 on'a bracket 1'4 which 'islfixed to the frame membersB. Thebracket includes a step-like element which constitutes are'stupon whichthe "latch I'Z sits when it 'is'i'n its down'most latching position, the position shown in the drawings. The detent portion of the latch, ait E6 is acommon typeof nose construction andthis is .irel'easably latched to the upper end of the stil'e'il and is fashioned into a cam surface l1 and "is also formed with an extension 'providinga latch .lifting stile releasing 'finger i3.

I :neXt call attention to a horizontal frel'atively stationary fixed stall pip-e01 equivalent supportingmember '19 which carries a fixture having a depending car 2 "This ear servestct-accommoda'te an adapter 'block 22 which :is .gpivotallly mounted on said ear, as at 23 The adapter blockfserves asa cradling-,mountiholderior an L- shaped rope -c.ontrolled actuator :leve 24. '-'I-'his ilever embodies atl ong horizontal :arm 725 and a :short inclined complemental limb 125 ,having a yoke provided with alrubber tired cushioning and stop roller 21. In practice, the lever 2 is scisentificallyand.rdynamically balanced for sensitive actuation. Adiustablymounted'on the outer end for purposes of changing leverage as desired is a collar 28 to accommodate apull rope (area-51am.

' The latter ,is trained over a pulley *3 0 anda second pulley .31 and terminates in ahand grip or knob 32. The latter "ispreferablyarranged at the outer end of the stall (not shown), that is,ia'diacent the rearof 'theoow' to permitsam'e toloe convenien'tly handled tromtha't point.

Reference is had new to theg-so-calied secondary or trip latch. -The Jatterisdenoiedthy numeral 33 and is pivoted midway of its upper and lower ends, as at 34, on a sleeve-type block 35. The latter is fitted and secured on the long limb and has an outstanding member a constituting a stop. The latter occupies a position between the adapter block 22 and the upper end portion of said latch 33 and function to keep the latter in its normal vertical position at right angles to the primary latch i2. A coiled spring 35 is provided and this is attached at one end to the upper end portion of the latch and is anchored on a lug 3'? on the block 22; The lower end of the latch 33 is provided with a detent 38 for the finger i3 and is also provided with a self-re-setting cam surface 39.

The operation of the stanchion is briefly as follows: In the drawings we see the stanchion closed up. At this time the detent' it on the latch i2 is seated against the upper closed end of the channel of the movable stanchion stile 3 and the lata te takes the position shown in the drawings, which is the closed position. It is obvious that by lifting the latch i2 and disengaging the detent the stile 3 will automatically swing from left to right on its pivot it in Figure 1 under the stress of the spring H. To accomplish this the L-shaped actuating lever 24 is provided. Consequently, the user simply grasps the knob 32 and pulls on the rope 2s and this transmits the lifting action to the left hand end portion of the lever 25. The limb 25 now swings up on the anchoring pivot 23. Since the secondary latch 33 is carried by this limb it also travels up and serves to lift and disengage the detent is from the stile 9 permitting the latter to open. Said 3.

stile 9 swings open and comes into resting contact with the rubber cushioned wheel 21. Latch 33 is still engaged, during the opening phase of operation, with latch i2.

Now, to close the stile, the same rope is pulled in the same way, after having been released, of course, after the stated stanchion opening hase. Inasmuch as the limb 26 and its roller means is in direct contact and must push the stile S bodily, it will be necessary to give a strong pull, this time, on the knob. In so doingthe stile 9 is pushed from right to left and as the limb 25 swings up its carries the detent 38 on the latch 33 up sufiiciently high that it will now be disengaged from the latch l2. The latch I2 will now drop down by gravity and as the upper free end of the stile 9 swings toward it, it will strike the cam 2'5, lift up the latch and the latch will then drop by gravity and again lock 9 in place.

When the rope is again released the limb 25 will drop down to its normal balanced horizontal position and in so doing the cam as will come into rubbing or wiping contact with the finger [8,

which will allow the latch 33 to swing counterclockwise, after which it will reeng-age beneath the finger i8 and the parts will be again set and readied to repeat the above-mentioned opening phase.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 7

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practiceso long as no departureis made from theinvention as claimed.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

1. In a structure of the class described, a stationary support, fixture means rigidly mounted on said support, a counterbalanced self-righting L-shaped lever pivotally mounted for swinging on said fixture means, a pull cord adjustably connected to said lever, a cushioned roller mounted on said lever, a stationary frame member, a primary gravity actuated pivotally mounted latch on said frame member and having a detent, and a secondary latch pivotally mounted on said L- shaped lever and having a detent releasably engageable with said primary latch.

2. In a structure of the class described, a frame member, a bracket fastened on said frame member, said bracket having a latch abutting and seating check, a primary gravity lowerable latch pivotally mounted at one end on said bracket and normally resting on said seating check, the opposite end of said latch having a cam surfaceddetent and a terminal extension projecting beyond said detent and constituting a lifting finger foria secondary latch, a stationary support member on a plane above said frame member, a remote cord controlled trip lever pivotally mounted on said support member, a secondary trip latch pivotally mounted on said lever and disposed at right angles to said primary latch and having a camedged detent releasably engaged with said lifting finger, and a spring anchored at one end to said lever and at its opposite end to said secondary what is latch.

3. In a structure of the class described, a frame member, a bracket fastened on said frame member, said bracket having a latch abutting and. seating check, a, primary gravity lowerable latch pivotally mounted at one end on said bracket'and normally resting on said seating check, the opposite end of said latch having a cam surfaced detent and a terminal extension constituting a lifting finger for a secondary latch, a horizontal stationary support member on a plane above said.

frame member, a remote cord controlled trip lever pivotally mounted on said support member, a secondary trip latch pivotally mounted on said lever and disposed at right angles to said primary latch and having a cam-edged detent releasably engaged with said lifting finger, a spring anchored at one end to said lever and at itsopposite end to said secondary latch, and an abutment mounted on and carried by said lever andconstituting a stop and engageable with an adjacent edge portion of said secondary trip latch tomaintain the latch normally in a vertical position and to permit the latch to swing freely in a direction away from thestop during the time the detent thereon reengages itself with said lifting finger.

4. The. structure specified-in claim 2, said lever ubeingL-shaped and including a horizontallyfdisposable long arm and a vertically disposable short arm, said long arm being in a plane with said support member when in its normal position, and a freely turnable roller. mounted on said short arm. I

5. In a structure of the class described, a re- ,7 mote control structure for coaction with a stanextending at right angles from. said pipe, an adapter blockliingedly mounted on said fixture,

an L-shaped lever including a long arm and a short arm, said long arm being fixedly mounted on said adapter block and being normally in a horizontal plane with said pipe, said short arm depending below said pipe and terminating in a yoke, a roller freely mounted for rotation in said yoke, a secondary trip latch pivoted intermediate its ends to the long arm, one end of said secondary latch extending at right angles and depending below said long arm and terminating in a cam edged detent, the other end of said latch extending at right angles above said long arm, a stop on said lever engageable With the last named end of the latch to maintain same at approximate right angles to said long arm, and a coiled spring anchored at one end on said adapter block and attached at its opposite end to that end portion of said trip latch situated above the pivotal mounting of said trip latch.

6. A remote controlled latch construction of the class shown and described, comprising, in combination, a stationary frame member, a pivoted vertical member, a gravity-lowered primary latch pivoted on said frame memberand having a detent releasably engageable with said pivoted member, said detent having a cam surface and a complemental outstanding lifting finger, a counterbalanced self-righting L-shaped pivotally mounted lever, a manually actuatable remote control pull cord connected to and for operating said lever, a secondary trip latch at right angles to said primary latch and pivotally mounted on said lever and having a detent releasably engageable with said lifting finger, said L-shaped lever embodying a depending limb opposite to said pivoted member and said limb having a cushioned combined check and thrust return roller releasably engageable with said member.

7. Remote controlled latching and closing means for the pivoted vertical stile of a stanchion construction comprisinga stationary horizontally disposed pipe, a fixture rigidly mounted on said pipe, an L-shaped lever including a normally horizontal long arm and a substantially vertical depending short arm, said long arm being hingedly mounted on said fixture, said short arm having a free end portion provided with a freely rotatable roller, a secondary trip latch pivoted intermediate its ends on said long arm, fixed stop means on said long arm, said latch being normally engaged with said stop means and thus disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said long arm, and spring means connected with said latch to assist in retainingthe same in a predetermined set position.

- ROY F. HARDING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,522 Mayer Aug. 8, 1905 884,599 Miles Apr. 14, 1908 1,080,755 Friberg Dec. 9, 1913 1,184,197 Mikan May 23, 1916 1,464,159 Troth Aug. 7, 1923 1,752,095 Langer Mar. 25, 1930 

